Daily Republican., 1887-08-03
A DISCOURAGED MAN,

II
try. There is no use in struggling
when the odds are dead against you. II
1t was John Harris who was talk
ling. His wife was sewing buttons on
the children's clothes after they had
gone to bed. As her mouth was full
Of buttons she could not answer her
husband had she felt inclined. Mr..
Harris resumed:
"I'm clean discouraged. OF course
I don't think OF myself; it is you and
the children I'm discouraged about;
and If It wasn't for leaving you alone,
Mary, I'd"
He did not finish what he was say
ing, as his wife coughed. and all the
buttons flew out of her mouth.
''Is it such bad failure2" she asked
presently. She was darning the chill
dren's stockings now, having finished
sewing Oh buttons.
at couldn't be worse, When a
mans partner takes all the money out
Of the business, and skips to foreign
country, everybody hounds him to
death as if he had heen dishonest. All
the creditors are clamoring for their
money. It's no use, Mary, I'm ruin
ed man, and I'm going to fiud a way
out of it all"
"How?' asked Mrs. Harris, trying
to speak calmly.
''There are more ways than one. !
shall not live to see you want, or to be
a burden on you and the children.
There is no dlshonor attached to my
name now. 1t was rash, suppose
to embark all in one venture, and lose
Iitp'
"You have not lost ALL" suggested
Mrs. Harris; you have health, wife
and children, and an unblemished
character"
Poor capital, these" retorted her
husband, G. g.oomily. mo, l am going
to give up! l tell you, Mary, l am a
discouraged mani You do not know
what it is to endure these business
worries; you women are sheltered and
protected from all such annoyances.
"Are theyp" answered Mrs. Harris,
with dry lips.
She had done the work of three
women that day. She had been cook
and nurse, and now she was seam
stress. She had cut and contrived,
counted pennies and was engaged to
Igive music lessons to the doctors
daughter, to offset their last years
bill. Her whole frame quivered with
with the pain of Jared and tangled
nerves. But 1t never entered into her
mind that she dared to complain.
"Doe the Next Thynge," was the
motto she had framed and hung up
where she could see it many times q
day.
"As I say" continued her husband
after spell of gloomy thought,
"there's way out OF it. and many q
man has been driven to it. / won't
live and be prosecuted by mob OF cir.
cumstances. IT, were out of the way
Iyou and the children would have
enough TO live on comfortably the rest
of your lives. It's only anticipating
our final fate by a few months OF
Iyears."
Mrs Harris folded the last pair oil
stockings and laid them neatly away
A little smile hovered about her lips,
John" she said.in firm voice, ~
have last favor to ask of you."
"Whst is il, Mary?"
''DOn't die in the house!"
Before the astonished man could
lspeak, she continued
because 1t would be so unpleasant
for the children and for me. 1t is oul
home. have the deed of it in my
possession, sent to me by my father
yesterday And should hate to have
any unpleasant associations connected
with it. should very much dislike
to have you buried at the four corners
near here with stake driven through
lyou, though people would soon forge,
that We ever belonged to you. For
would not own to being the widow ol
a coward or let my children bear his
name. And even if you were not held
Irresponsible | would be ashamed tc
think you had written your own epi.
taph, Here lies a discouraged man,
John Harris was dumb with sur
prise.
II know" continued his wife, "tha'
it is a favorite thing for men to say
Ithey will get out of it all, and tina
women do not realize how desperate
the situation is, and lot more rubbish
that they ought to be ashamed Of"
John tried to speak, but his wife had
the floor.
''It is only a coward who would
take refuge in death and leave his
wife and children to fight the battle o
life alone. And right here, John,
want that subject to end forever. II
is hard enough to live with man who
is chronically discouraged, but wher
he hints at getting out of it, l object.
John Harris never again made any
vague and improbable threats, but he
took the dilemma of business by botl
hofns and practically mastered it. No
has his wife ever heard him declare
IsiEce that ne was q s'discOurage(